The 2023 NHL All-Star Weekend is upon us. Friday night will be the All-Star skills competition, the broadcast of which will begin at 7 ET on ESPN and ESPN+. Saturday will be the All-Star Game itself at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida, with coverage beginning at 3 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+.
Things typically get a little goofy — in the best way possible — for the skills competition, and the South Florida destination for this year’s event means that we will see two Florida-centric outdoor events: the Pitch ‘n’ Puck and the Splash Shot. Of course, the skills competition will also include classic events such as fastest skater, hardest shot, breakaway challenge and accuracy shooting.
Who do we think will win these events, and what else are we excited about seeing? Our panel is here to debate those very questions.
Who wins the fastest skater?
Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter:Cale Makar. Hockey fans talk a lot, and rightfully so, about Nathan MacKinnon‘s speed whenever the focus is on the Colorado Avalanche. The reality is that Makar is also one of the fastest skaters in the league. Avs players have told me that the following doesn’t happen, but it’d be dope to see Makar and MacKinnon challenge each other at practice to see who is faster.
Emily Kaplan, NHL reporter: In 2016, then-rookie Dylan Larkin set a mark of 13.172 seconds — blazing fast — breaking the 20-year record for the event. I say the Detroit Red Wings captain avenges a so-so showing last year and regains his crown.
Arda Öcal, NHL host: Give me Kirill “The Thrill” Kaprizov in an upset. I have no statistical basis on this — I just want him to win.
Kristen Shilton, NHL reporter: Makar is a sneaky-fast skater. We always give love to the forwards in these events, but if there’s a defenseman who can out-speed any competition, it’s got to be Colorado’s breakout blueliner.
Greg Wyshynski, NHL reporter: Give me Chandler Stephenson of the Vegas Golden Knights in an act of defiance. You have people saying, “Why is Chandler Stephenson here instead of a Seattle Kraken player to replace the injured Matty Beniers?” And then you have people that are simply saying, “Why is Chandler Stephenson even here?”
Winning the fastest skater competition would be a declarative statement. He should break into “This is Me” from “The Greatest Showman” in the postrace interview.
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Best of NHL All-Star Weekend: Fastest skater edition
Ahead of the 2023 NHL All-Star Game, check out the fastest skaters from the previous years in the skills competition.
Who wins the hardest shot?
Clark: Let’s go with Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones. He had a strong showing in 2019 when his hardest shot reached 99.4 mph. It was good enough for third then. Maybe there is a chance he adds a bit more velocity and walks away with this year’s title.
Kaplan: I feel like people will overlook Elias Pettersson, but he’s the favorite for me. And it sounds like the puck and player tracking data from the season would back me up.
Öcal: I’ll go with Josh Morrissey. I wouldn’t want to block his shot, would you?
Shilton: Going with Josh Morrissey here, too. They play a hard game in Winnipeg, and Morrissey has had some practice putting his weight behind a shot. Plus, this is a great moment for him to show off a little and get on anyone’s radar who hasn’t noticed what a terrific season he’s having for the Jets.
Wyshynski: While I long for the days of Zdeno Chara setting the radar gun ablaze through the sheer velocity of his shots, perhaps I’m underestimating this group. I’ll also go with Seth Jones, who has experience in the event and will probably relish the chance to put some existential angst about the Blackhawks’ current status behind his slapper.
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The best of the NHL hardest shot competition
Take a look back at the best moments from the hardest shots contest at the NHL All-Star Game.
What do you think about the outdoor events this year?
Clark: On one hand, it’s a creative way to commemorate the All-Star Weekend being in South Florida. On the other hand, it makes you wonder if this it will be something the league will do in other markets. For example, what would be the outdoor event in Calgary, Edmonton or Winnipeg in February?
Kaplan: I’m all-in, and love how the league is constantly adapting to the local environment and trying new things. The Splash Shot is going to produce some fun moments — especially with good buddies Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon competing as a partnership.
Öcal: I love them when they are in warm weather. If the All-Star Game is ever in the wonderful city of Winterpeg, I hope for all involved that there are no outdoor events taking place, or that they are sponsored and outfitted by Canada Goose. While in Florida? Keep us at the beach all day long! Please!
Shilton: The NHL trying anything new is a good thing in my book, especially at All-Star Weekend! The outdoor element is a nod to where the event is being held (shoutout, South Florida) and allows the league to incorporate more creativity into its annual showcase. Dig it.
Wyshynski: I’m torn, but only because of the pre-taped nature of the events. For example, I’m someone who appreciates the unpredictability and occasional chaos of the sketches on “Saturday Night Live,” rather than the tightly edited pre-taped segments. That said, the commercial parodies and behind-the-scenes vignettes they pre-tape are exponentially funnier.
Ultimately, I lean more to the positive on the outdoor events, particularly because of their ingenuity — like hockey golf! — and the undeniable comfort of the players involved, working at a pre-taped pace.
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The best of the NHL All-Star Game
Watch the best plays from previous NHL All-Star Games as the 2023 edition faces off on Saturday.
What are you most looking forward to seeing?
Clark: Seeing the fan turnout for the game. One thing South Florida does extremely well is turn out for events. It’s another reason why the College Football Playoff, New Year’s Six bowl games and the Super Bowl do so well there. South Florida excels whenever there is a spectacle, and to see what it can do with the NHL All-Star Game should be interesting to watch.
Kaplan:Jason Robertson competing in the Pitch ‘n’ Puck event. Robertson told me this summer that he’s notoriously not a good golfer — despite golf generally being the go-to hobby for most hockey players. Robertson said he’s probably in the bottom first percentile of all NHL players when it comes to golf, and in his words, “How am I supposed to get good at golf if nobody invites me?”
This event isn’t purely golf, but it’s going to be entertaining to see him compete in a golf-inspired event.
Öcal: I am still holding strong for an eventual “breakaway challenge becomes the dunk contest” narrative, so I hope we see elite creativity in the contest.
Shilton: I can’t wait to see how this Splash Shot event goes down. The pairings are incredible — Crosby and MacKinnon? Yes. Tkachuk brothers? Even better — and if it brings out the fun side of these guys, then it’s all the better for everyone. Does anyone have a special trick up their sleeve? How into it will the players get? Excited to see if they’ll embrace the spirit of the thing and really go for it.
Wyshynski: Sidney Crosby. I’ve covered All-Star Games for the entirety of his career. The biggest story about Sid used to be why he wasn’t participating in one — injury, apathy, etc. — rather than what he was going to do at All-Star Weekend.
But as he’s gotten older, this experience has meant more to him. At 36, “Sid The Kid” is participating in a dunk-tank shooting contest and working with his former arch nemesis Alex Ovechkin in the trick shot competition. That’s wild! I love casual, fun-lovin’ Sid. It took a while, but he’s here.
Tkachuk’s hit, in the third period of his team’s 5-1 loss, received a five-minute major. According to sources, the NHL Department of Player Safety determined that was enough, considering Guentzel had recently touched the puck and Tkachuk didn’t make contact with Guentzel’s head.
The department also believed that the force in which Tkachuk hit Guentzel was far lesser than the hit Tampa’s Brandon Hagel made on Florida captain Aleksander Barkov in Game 2, which earned Hagel a one game suspension.
The plays led both coaches to trade jabs in the media. After Barkov went down in Game 2, Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice said: “The only players we hit are the one with pucks.”
Barkov missed the end of the third period, but played in Game 3. Game 4 is Monday at Amerant Bank Arena.
At his postgame press conference, following Tkachuk’s hit on Guentzel, Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper deadpanned the exact same line as Maurice.
Tkachuk leads the series in scoring with three goals and an assist through three games. Guentzel has two goals and two assists for Tampa Bay.
The Battle of Florida is living up to the billing as one of the most contentious rivalries in hockey; either Tampa or Florida has made it to the Stanley Cup Final in each of the last five seasons.
ST. LOUIS — Connor Hellebuyck, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner who is among the favorites to win the award again this season, allowed five goals before being pulled early in the third period as the top-seeded Winnipeg Jets fell to the St. Louis Blues5-1 on Sunday, evening their Western Conference first-round series at 2-2.
Hellebuyck has now been pulled in back-to-back games in St. Louis, during which he has allowed 11 goals and posted a paltry .744 save percentage. Eric Comrie made five saves in relief of Hellebuyck on Sunday, but the game had long been decided by that point.
His performances have not only energized the Blues, the No. 8 seed who lost the first two games of this series, but their fans, as well. In the third period Sunday, the St. Louis faithful chanted, “We want Connor” as he sat on the Jets’ bench.
Across the ice, St. Louis goaltender Jordan Binnington, who defeated Hellebuyck in the 4 Nations Face-Off final in February when Canada outlasted Team USA, made 30 saves in the win. The Blues have now won 14 straight regular-season and playoff games at home dating back to Feb. 23.
“The last 10 minutes, we gave up three goals,” Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said of the second period. “Those are coverage goals, and those are situations that we usually handle pretty well. They are finding ways to get that puck in the net.”
Kyle Connor scored for the Jets, staking the road team to a 1-0 lead, but the powerful Winnipeg offense that helped the club win the Presidents’ Trophy was never heard from again.
“This is obviously not what we wanted,” Winnipeg forward Mark Scheifele said. “But it’s a best two-of-three series now.”
Hellebuyck has been pulled in consecutive games only one other time in his career, and given the Jets lost in Round 1 last season to the Colorado Avalanche, the Winnipeg goaltending situation figures to be a storyline the rest of this series.
“At the end of the day, you know what, they took advantage of home ice,” Arniel said of the Blues. “We’ve put ourselves in this position. And our best players have to be better than their best players.”
The Jets and Blues return to Winnipeg for Game 5 on Wednesday night.
ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the Washington Wizards from 2014 to 2016 and the Washington Nationals from 2016 to 2018 for The Washington Post before covering the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB for the Los Angeles Times from 2018 to 2024.
NEW YORK — Devin Williams has been removed from his role as New York Yankees closer “for right now,” manager Aaron Boone said Sunday.
The move comes two days after Williams endured another rough outing and was booed off the mound at Yankee Stadium in a loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. The 30-year-old right-hander has a 11.25 ERA with career-worst marks in strikeout rate (18.2%), whiff rate (24.1%) and walk rate (15.9%) in eight innings across 10 appearances this season.
“He’s still got everything to be great, right? This is a guy that is in the prime of his career and he’s just going through it a little bit,” said Boone, who informed Williams of the decision Saturday. “I tell our players all the time, you make a career that’s long enough and you’re going to face some challenging moments. You’re going to face some adversity along the way. And good news for Devin is he’s got everything to get through this and come out better on the other side. And that’s my expectation.
“But, for right now, I think it’s best for everyone that we pull him out of that role and try and start building some good rhythm and confidence and momentum and fully expect him to be a central figure for us moving forward.”
Boone said setup man Luke Weaver, who has a 0.00 ERA in 13 innings pitched this season, will assume “a lot of” the team’s save opportunities. Boone maintained he is open to using Weaver in high-leverage spots earlier in games and other relievers to close.
As for Williams, Boone said he won’t have a specific role — whether pitching in low-leverage situations or tight spots just earlier in games — as he seeks to re-establish himself for a team with the ninth-best bullpen ERA in the majors despite his struggles.
The key will be for Williams to avoid falling behind in counts as he did against the three hitters he faced Friday, leading to the home crowd again showering him with loud boos while adding a “We want Weaver!” chant.
Williams wound up surrendering two runs on three hits without recording an out to blow the save and continue his alarming troubles.
The Yankees hope his changeup-fastball mix will baffle hitters again and allow him to return to the pitcher he has been for his entire career.
“Count leverage is a big thing for pitchers, understandably, as it is for hitters,” Boone said. “And I think he’s been behind a number of times. He’s also had it not bounce his way in a number of these games where it’s gotten away.
“But I think the biggest thing for a guy as good as he is, as good as his track record is, and where he is from an age standpoint in the prime of his career, it’s just about, I think, man, having it start to click, getting in a good rhythm and then off we go.”
The Yankees acquired Williams in December to replace Clay Holmes as the club’s closer with one year of team control remaining before reaching free agency. The trade, which sent left-hander Nestor Cortes and prospect Corbin Durbin to Milwaukee, figured to cement the Yankees’ bullpen as one of the best in the majors.
Williams established himself as one of baseball’s premier relievers over six seasons with the Brewers using a singular screwball-like changeup known as “The Airbender.” The right-hander posted a 1.83 ERA with a 39.4% across 241 appearances in Milwaukee. He won the 2020 National League Rookie of the Year Award as a setup man for Josh Hader and made two All-Star teams. His status was undisputed.
But Williams’ Yankees tenure has been turbulent from start. After emerging as the catalyst to have the Yankees’ decades-long no-beard policy changed during spring training, he was booed at Yankee Stadium during his sloppy debut on Opening Day against his former club.
Boone acknowledged the fans’ treatment could have an impact on Williams’ performance.
“I think there’s that adjustment,” Boone said. “Devin’s really been nothing but successful at the big-league level. He’s dominated. So, that’s all part of it. That’s what I talk to these guys all the time about is like, again, you’re going to go through a tough moment. When I came here in 2003 at the trade deadline, Mariano Rivera was getting booed in August. I couldn’t believe it. And then he’s still Mariano Rivera, recoups and goes on to do what he does.
“So, I’m sure there’s some shock to that and some … getting settled. He’s with a new team in a new environment. That’s all part of it. But my reminder to him is you have all the equipment to do this at an elite level and that’s still a reality.”
In other developments, Luis Gil, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year Award winner, started his throwing program Sunday. He has been sidelined since Feb. 28 because of a high-grade lat strain, is on the 60-day injured list and is projected to return in June at the earliest.
Also, right-hander Jonathan Loáisiga, who is returning from internal brace elbow surgery, started his rehab assignment for Class A Tampa on Saturday and threw 11 pitches with one strikeout in a clean inning. He could rejoin the Yankees as early as late May.